"That's the expert, that's who you should be going to" - Joe Rogan reveals Daniel Cormier was angry about Colby Covington not getting credited for first Kamaru Usman takedown
Joe Rogan and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers went over the memorable UFC 278 main event on The Joe Rogan Experience.
Kamaru Usman's first career knockout loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 stunned the world. The welterweight championship fight also saw many other shocking firsts, with Edwards taking down the former champion for the first time in his UFC career.
However, Daniel Cormier did not agree with 'Rocky' being the first to take Usman down. Cormier's co-commentator Rogan mentioned the same on his podcast. Speaking to Aaron Rodgers, Rogan said:
"Well, Colby Covington should have gotten credit for a takedown in the second fight. He did take Usman down, Usman's knees went to the ground and Daniel Cormier was angry that it wasn't registered as a takedown. He goes, 'That's two!' and you're talking to Daniel Cormier who is an Olympic wrestler. That's the expert, that's who you should be going to when you decide whether or not something's a takedown."
Cormier credits Colby Covington with the first takedown on Usman in their second encounter. However, marginal technicalities prevented the action from being classified as a takedown. Rogan elaborated on why Edwards' takedown meant more in the context of the fight:
"So I think they erroneously credited that with the first time that Kamaru Usman's ever been taken down in the UFC. It was the second time. But it was the most significant. Because not only did he take him down, he took him down, he mounted him and then he took his back and he was threatening with the rear-naked choke. It's big."
Watch Joe Rogan and Aaron Rodgers recap the UFC 278 main event below:
Joe Rogan recounts counting Leon Edwards out against Kamaru Usman
In the same episode of JRE, Joe Rogan recollected how close Kamaru Usman came to successfully defending his title. Going into the final minute of the fifth round, Leon Edwards was largely counted out by most fans and the broadcast team. Seconds into the final minute of the bout, Edwards uncorked a thunderous head-kick to win the title.
Broooo 🤯
This angle of Leon Edwards' head kick to KO Kamaru Usman is 🔥
#UFC278 https://t.co/IQYHsnbCQn
Speaking on the UFC 278 headliner, Rogan said:
"Yeah, that's what a lot of people were saying [Edwards had accepted a loss as his fate]... Din Thomas actually, who is the guy we go in to in between rounds, he is an expert coach, he said he [Edwards] is broken. You can see how he wasn't looking at his coaches in the eye and he looked dejected. And then he went out there and landed the greatest head-kick in the history of the sport."
Rogan praised the mental resilience of the second-ever British champion for coming from behind and getting an unprecedented win.
This was Usman's first loss in the UFC and the Nigerian-American was one win away from tying Anderson Silva's record for most consecutive UFC wins (16). The former champion will be looking to exact his revenge in a potential trilogy bout down the line.
Kamaru Usman vows to bounce back "with a vengeance" after #UFC278 https://t.co/vgZ0iH7CPu